Sternhold, Thomas

Sternhold, Thomas, an English poet and psalmodist, was born (according to Wood) in Hampshire, or as Holinshed says, at Southampton; but Atkins (Hist. of Gloucestershire) affirms that he was born at Awre, twelve miles from Gloucester. He studied at Oxford, but not long enough to take any degree. The office of groom of the robes to Henry VIII was secured to him, and he was continued in the same office by Edward VI. He died in 1549. He versified fifty-one of the Psalms, which were first printed by Edward Whitchurch, 1549, with the title All such Psalms as Thomas Sternehold, late Groom of the Kinges Majestyes Robes, did in his Lyfetyme Drawe into English meter. He was succeeded in the translation by John Hopkins (fifty-

eight psalms), William Whittingham (five psalms), Thomas Norton (twenty-seven psalms), Robert Wisdome (Psalm 25), and others. The complete version was entitled The Whole Book of Psalms, Collected into English meter by T. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, and others, etc. (printed in 1562, by John Day). Certain Chapters of the Proverbs, etc., is ascribed to him, but the authenticity is doubted. For further particulars as to editions, etc., see Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v. SEE PSALMODY.